The present invention relates generally to the field of spray bottles and atomizers and in particular to a new and useful spray bottle for a fragrance resembling a snow globe.
Display articles containing solid objects in a translucent material are known. Snow globes are commonly sold as souvenirs. These snow globes usually have a scene, or object, contained in a spherical or domed enclosure of clear glass or plastic mounted on a flat-bottomed base. The object is surrounded by water or other non-volatile clear liquid. It is also common to have a plurality of small white "flakes" of material in the enclosure, so that when the globe is shaken, the flakes are mixed in the liquid and give the appearance of snow falling on the scene in the enclosure. These snow globes are sealed shut and the liquid inside is not accessible once the product is in its finished form.
A clear bottle with a pump dispenser containing a transparent soap is sold by Colgate-Palmolive Company in its AQUARIUM series. The bottle has a clear plastic sheet insert with a graphic printed on it. The plastic sheet is about as wide as the bottle. The graphic can be viewed through the front side of the bottle. The plastic sheet floats freely, suspended in the viscous soap composition.
Other bottles having inserts or display features are disclosed, for example, by U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,210, which teaches a deformable insert for beverage bottles. The insert is too large to pass through the bottle's neck without being deformed. The insert expands to its original shape after being inserted into a bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,603,176 discloses a jar containing a gel and an object movably suspended within the gel. The gel is a transparent liquid composed of a nontoxic inorganic clay colloidal dispersion in water. In one embodiment disclosed, the jar simulates a fishbowl, with a plastic fish suspended in the gel.
A decorative display enclosure with one flat viewing surface in the side is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,728. The enclosure may be made of glass or plastic and contains a figure and a liquid surrounding the figure. The liquid may contain glitter or particles resembling snow flakes. A picture or hologram is applied to the flat surface of the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,187,889 teaches a display globe holding a flowable solid material and solid objects, such as sand and sea shells, which can be shaken to create new decorative scenes. The solid material and solid objects are inserted through a cap opening which is sealed closed to prevent the flowable solid from spilling out of the globe.
Patented designs for containers having objects suspended therein include that of U.S. Pat. No. Des. 260,731, which illustrates a test tube having a figure of a baby suspended in a clear liquid.
A spherical bottle having a threaded cap closure over the bottle neck is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. Des. 270,039. The bottle has a shell covering the top portion of the bottle around the neck which resembles a covering of snow or frost.
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 291,179 shows a spherical bottle with a flattened bottom. The opening of the bottle is a depression formed in the flattened bottom of the sphere. A cap or stopper extends from the depression and forms a stand for the bottle.
None of the prior art bottles known combine the decorative appearance of a snow globe with a fragrance bottle.